Display cabinet



Dec.'20, 1932. I H. K. T. SHERWOOD ET AL 1, 1,

DISPLAY CABINET De 20, 1932. H. K. r. SHERWOOD ET AL "DISPLAY CABINET Filed D80. 1, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HORACE K. T. SHERWOOD AND JOSEPH G. MOORE, OF ALBANY NEW YORK DISPLAY CABINET Application filedDecember 1, 1930. Serial No. 499,361.

This invent-ion relates to display devices, and moreparticularly toapparatus for retaining and preserving display matter of various kinds and exhibiting such matter upon actuation of mechanism associated therewith. The embodiment comprised in the present case is a modification of the device covered by the co-pending application Serial No. 499,362, filed December 1, 1930. g

The invention has for its object the provision of a receptacle or device which is especially adapted for employment in connection with the exhibiting of printed matter, mounted specimens, or the like, and which is designed to preserve the legibility of such printed matter and to prevent the defacement, theft or loss of any article adapted for display therein. A few specific and suggestive examples of the utility of our novel cabinet are as follows: The display of notices, bulletins, and orders in locomotivehouses, shops, factories, garages, department stores or the like; the posting of timetables or other inf formation in railroad stations, airports, steamship piers, or bus terminals; and, the exhibition of announcements, score tallies or similar data in golf or athletic clubs. However, the applicability of the device is not limited to the uses herein set forth, but is of i a scope commensurate with that of the subjoined claims wherein the present invention is defined. The receptacle is adapted to be locked so that only authorized persons may V have access to the display matter therein but interested persons desirous of viewing any particular notice or bulletin may do so by manipulating the proper mechanism provided by the invention for exhibiting that particular item.

. Other features and objects will be apparent from the following specification when r inlconnction with the pa y forth upon cards or sheets 20 which. are

drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are illustrated byway of example.

In the drawings: v v Figure 1 is a front elevation of a display device or cabinet embodying the principles of the invention;

taken on line;22 of Figure 1; v Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view on line3-=8 of Figure 1; I

Figure 4 is a view in perspective of one of 5 the bulletin carriers;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the racks, a pair of which are used to support and guide each of the carriers illustrated in Figure 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view The depth of the cabinet from front to-bac'k will depend in part uponv the number ofbulletins to be contained therein. The cabinet 10" is provided in its front face with a door 11, the greater part of which comprises a panel 12 of glass or other transparent material; The door 11 is hinged to the cabinet at 13 and is provided with any desired type of Q locking means which may comprise a hasp 14 and padlock 15.

The cabinet may contain'any convenient or necessary number of bulletins or notices, and they may, if desired, be arranged in 5 .more than a single group, as in the case of the illustrated embodiment in which two groups or tiers of bulletins are shown at 16 and 17, respectively. p

The bulletins, notices, or other display matterare preferably printed or otherwise set adapted to beremovably supported by the carriers or frames 21, one form of which is illustrated in detail in Figure 4. The cards 20 are held in position upon the carriers 21 by means of the clips 22. These carriers 21 are adapted to be slidably supported'in the pair of racks 23, one of which is most'clearly shown in Figure '5. The racks 23 are prefer- 1 can lowermost or retracted positions. By means of mechanism to be hereinafter described, the carriers, are adapted to be raised from these lower retracted positions to an upper portion indicated. at 30.

It Will be noted that each 'of the strips or members 23 of the rack are arranged in rear- Wardly ascending formation, that is, each element including a strip 24 and a stop portion 26 is arranged in a slightly higher position than the element directly in front thereof. The cards or sheets 20 are provided with upper marginal portions 27 upon which are adapted to be displayed numbers, titles, or other identifying indicia. On account of the stepped arrangement of the rack elements each one of these marginal indicia bearing portions will be exposed to the view of the operator at all times and it is an important feature of the present invention to provide actuating means for the exhibiting mechanism which are disposed in a definite, readily perceived relationship with the exposed indicia bearing portions of their respective sheets or cards. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawings the carriers 21 are provided with laterally extending arms or handles 31 which are adapted to pass through slots in one of the side walls of the cabinet and to have their projecting end portions disposed in line with indicia bearing portions of their associated cards. It will thus be seen that anyone desirous of viewing the entire contents of any particular card may grasp the handle 31 which lies opposite the title or identifying inscription of the card desired and raise the carrier upon which said card is mounted to one of the positions 30 in which the matter thereon is fully displayed. When the observers purpose has been served he has merelyto releasethe handle 31 and the carrier will descend by gravoriginal retracted position upon shelf portions 26 of the racks 23.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the other figures of the drawings, the device is adapted to be operated electrically and for this reason the carriers are formed, as illustrated in detail in Figure 4, with a pair of lugs 33 projecting laterally from the upper portions thereof. A pair of vertical rods or links 34 are pivotally connected to theselugs 33 as at 35. Above the racks of each group of bulletins there are arranged one or more banks or series 36 of solenoid coils 37. Inthe particular embodiment illustrated in the drawings there are 15 provided two series 36 of these coils for each of the groups 16 and 17 of bulletins. The coils 37 are, of course, hollow, and are each adapted to receive one of the links 34 which forms the core of its particular solenoid winding. The solenoids 37 of the groups 36 are wired in pairs, each of these pairs being adaptedto operate one of the carriers 21. \Vhen energized, the solenoids are adapted to draw the cores or rods 34 upwardly and thus raise the carrier to which they are attached to the upper display position 30 where the complete card or bulletin 20 may be viewed as in the case of the mechanically operated embodimentpreviously described.

The energizing circuit for each pair of solenoidsis provided with a switch 38 which is located upon the exterior of thecabinet 10 in close proximity to the indicia bearing portion of the card which is adapted to be raised by actuation thereof. This feature is clearly illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings. lVhen the circuit is broken upon the opening of the switch 38 the force of gravity Will operate to restore the carrier to its normal retracted position as before.

In Figure 7, there is shown a wiring diagram for one of the pairs of solenoids 37. Numeral 39 designates the usual 110 volt circuit to which is connected, by means of wires 40, the transformer 41, comprising the primary winding 42 and the secondary winding 43, which serves to step down the current to the proper voltage to operate the solenoids 37. The numeral 44 denotes the secondary circuit of the transformer 42 which includes the pair of solenoids 37 and the switch 38 connected in series. Although the step-down transformer 41 will be found necessary or convenient in some cases, it is h within the purvlew Oftllls invention that the solenoids 37 be operated directly from the main source of current supplied by the lines 39.

In order to ensure the return of the carriers to normal retracted positions in case the operator fails to open a switch 38 there is provided a time controlled circuit breaker 45 which may be of any suitable type and which may be connected in the circuit 42 (as shown in Figure 7) or in the secondary circuit 44, if desired. A suitable connection 46 is provided between the actuating element 47 of the switch 38 which is adapted to start the operation of the timing device 45 so that it will break the circuit after a predetermined interval fromthe closing of the switch 38. The connection 46 may also serve the purpose of opening the switch 38 at the end of the predetermined interval of time by restoring the element 47 to its original position. It is obvious that instead of providing a separate time controlled circuit breaker 45 the switch 38 may be modified so that it may be either positively opened by manual actuation or restored to open position by meansof a timing device incorporated in the switch structure. The transformer, timing devices and associated elements may all be housed within the cabinet 10 behind the tiers of bulletins and a separate door may be provided in the back of the cabinet to provide access thereto.

In lieu of the restoring apparatus which has just been described, the display card carriers may be provided with suitable projections or notches which are adapted to be engaged by an automatically operating pivoted or sliding detent when they are raised to fully displayed positions. These detents may be released bysuitable electro-magnets adapted to be actuated by restoring switches operated independently of the switches provided for raising the carriers. Such a device is illustrated and described in the co-pending application Serial No. 499,362, filed December.1,1930.

In order to provide for continuous opera tion of the device and to automatically or thermally control the temperature of the solenoids employed, it is intended to provide overload relays andsuch contacts or switches which'may be necessary to secure this result.

There is thus provided by means of the present invention a novel bulletin cabinet or display device which is adapted to be opened only by an authorized agent, but which is adapted to display any particular bulletin contained therein to any interested person by manipulation of actuating means, each of which is disposed in a definite or peculiar relation to certain continually exposed indicia upon its associated bulletin. V

It will be understood that the present invention is susceptible to many other uses than those herein mentioned, such as, for instance,

the selective exhibition of charts, timetables, maps, mounted specimens or other educational devices or any other use which may suggest itself. Furthermore, the details of construction which'have been shown and described are subject to various-modifications within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

It is intended that the words cards, display matter orthe like, employed in the following claims shall be understood to include any type of material or article, such as printed matter, mounted specimens, maps or any other subjects which may conceivably be exhibited in a cabinet of the type described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, in combination, a casing, a plurality of display cards slidably mounted therein and normally occupying retracted positions, a portion of each card having identifying indicia thereon and being exposed to view when said cards are in retracted positions, and means for selectively moving said cards to fully displayed positions, said means including actuating elements, the manipulative portion of each of which is disposed exteriorly of said cabinet and adjacent the exposed indicia carrying portion of its associated card when said card is in its retracted position.

2.-=In adevice ofthe character described, iIl'COIIiblIIatiOInfa cabinet, a plurality of display cards slidably and removably mounted in said cabinet and normally occupying retracted positions, a portion of each card having identifying indicia thereon and being exposed to view when in retracted position, said cabinet being provided with a sight opening through which said. cards may be observed, a closure for said cabinet, means for locking said closure to prevent unauthorizedaccess to said cards, and meansfor selectively moving said cards to fully displayed positions, said meansincluding actuating elementsaccessiblefrom without said cabinet and each disposed in definiterelationship to the indicia carrying portion ofits associated card.

- 3 In a device-of the class described, in

combination, a cabinet, a rack,display card carriers slidably mounted in-saidrack and normally occupying retracted positions, said carriersrbeing provided withsecuring means for display cards, a display card mounted in each of saidcarriers and having an identifying indicia bearing portion which is exposed to view at all times, and means'for selectively moving said carriers to positions in which the respective cards are fully displayed, said means comprising manually operable laterally extended arms projecting from said carriers through slots in the wall of said cabinet, and disposed in individual relationship to the indicia bearing portions of their respective cards.

4. In'a device of the character described, in combination, a[casing, a plurality of display cards slidably mounted therein and normally occupying retracted positions, aportion of each card having identifying indicia thereon and being exposed to view when said cards are in retracted positions, and means for selectively moving said cards to fully displayed positions, said means comprising electro-magnets and actuating means therefor, each of said actuating means being disposed adjacent the indicia carrying portion of its associated card when said card is in its retracted position,

.5. In a device of the classy described, in combination, a cabinet, a rack in said cabinet, display card carriers slidably, mounted in said rack and normally occupyingretracted positions, a display card in each carrier, a fsolenoldassociated wlth each of said carriers,

and a movable'core connected with each carrier and adapted to be moved by said. solenoid to carry said card to fully displayed position. j m

.6, In a device of the class describddntombination, a cabinet, a rack therein, a series of display card carriers slidably mounted in said rack and normally occupying lower retracted positions, a display card in each carrier, a series of pairs of solenoid windings disposed within said cabinet above said rack, a pair of rods pivotally connected to each of saidcarriers and each adapted to be drawn upwardly within one of a pair of said solenoid windings upon energization of the latter, said cards being selectively raised thereby to upper fully displayed positions, and electrical circuits each including a source of current, a pair of said solenoid windings and a switch.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination, a cabinet, a. rack in said cabinet, a plurality of display card carriers slidably mounted in said rack and normally occupying lower retracted positions, said carriers being provided with display card securing means, a display card mounted in each of said carriers and having an identifying indicia bearing portion which is adapted to be ex posed to view at all times, a series of solenoid windings disposed within said cabinet above said rack, a core member secured to each of said carriers and adapted to be drawn upwardly within one of said windings upon energization of said winding, said cards being selectively raised thereby to upper fully displayed positions, and electrical circuits, each including a source of current, a solenoid winding and a switch, each of said switches being disposed upon the outside of said cabinet in definite relation to the indicia bearing portions of their respective associated cards.

8. In a device-of the class described,in com.- bination, a support, a display card slidably mounted in said support and normally occupying a retracted position, electro-magnetic means for moving said card to fully disclosed position and retaining it therein, an electrical circuit including saidelectro-magnetic means, a source of current anda switch, said switch when closed adapted to energize said electromagnetic means, a time controlled circuit breaker also included in said circuit and adapted to break said circuit-and-release said card at a predetermined interval after closing said switch.

9. In a device of the class described, in combination, a support, a display card slidably mounted in said support and normally occupying a retracted position,electro-magnetic means for moving said card to fully disclosed position and retaining it therein, an electrical circu-itincluding said electro-magnetic means, a source of current and a time controlled circuit controlling device by which said circuit may be positively closed, and opened either positively or automatically upon the lapse of a-predetermined time.

11-0. The combination set iorth in claim 6 in which there is associated with each switch,

cut-out means for opening said circuit upon the lapse of a predetermined time after clos- .,ing the ame in e event th s itch i not positively opened.

11. In a device of the character described, in combination, a casing, a plurality of display cards slidably mounted therein and normally occupying retracted positions, a portion of each card having identifying indicia thereon and being exf osed to view when said cards 7 are in retracte positions, and means for selectively moving said cards to fully displayed positions, said means including actuating elements, each of which is disposed adj acent the indicia carrying portion of its associated card when said card is in its retracted position, the wall of said casing being provided with slots and said actuating elements comprising manually operable handles each associated with one of said cards and project- 'i ing through one of the slots in said casing wall.

12. In a device of the class described, in combination, a cabinet, a rack in said cabinet, display card carriers slidably mounted in said rack and normally occupying retracted positions,-a display card in each carrier, an electro-magnetassociated with each of said carriers, and an armature connected with each carrier and adapted to be'moved by said electromagnet to carry said card to fully displayed position.

13. In a device of the class described, in combination, a cabinet, supporting means in said cabinet, a display card carrier slidably mounted in said supporting means and normally occupying a retracted position, a display card in said carrier, a solenoid in said cabinet, a movable core adapted to reciprocate within said solenoid upon energization i of the latter, and means connecting said'core and said carrier whereby said card may be moved to and from fully displayed position upon reciprocation of said core.

14. ,In a device of the class described, in" combination, a cabinet, display card carriers movably mounted in said cabinet and normally occupying retracted positions, a display card in each carrier, an electro-magnet associated withea'ch of said carriers, an armature' connected with each carrier and adapted to be moved by said electro-magnet to carry said card to fully displayed position, and means for selectivelyenergizing said electro-magnets.

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

.HORAOE K. T. SHERWOOD.

JOSEPH G. MOORE. 

